Evaluating Breeding Wheat and Oat Lines

ACAN (01R11-22-C051)

Evaluating Breeding Wheat and Oat Lines

This ACAN is a public notice indicating to the supplier community that Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) intends to award a service contract to a pre-identified supplier, thereby allowing other suppliers to signal their interest in bidding, by submitting a Statement of Capabilities. If no supplier submits a statement of capabilities that meets the requirements set out in the ACAN, on or before the closing date stated in this ACAN, the contracting officer may then proceed with the award to the pre-identified supplier.

REQUIREMENT:

Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) desires to develop early maturing oat cultivars suitable for production in the eastern rust-prone areas of the prairies and early maturing spring wheat cultivars suitable for production in the Parkland production areas of Western Canada. AAFC is involved in the evaluation of candidate oat cultivars and wheat cultivars in a series of cooperative pre-registration trials.

AAFC requires candidate early maturing oat cultivar lines (Oat Lines) and early maturing spring wheat cultivar lines (Wheat Lines) grown and evaluated at the Swan River locations as part of the cooperative pre-registration trials and AAFC Parkland wheat breeding program. The Swan River location is important because they provide the extremely short growing season required for breeding wheat and oat varieties adapted to the Parkland and Peace River production areas.

The Contractor is Required to:

• Provide test plots as well as well properly maintained and drained land, equipment and scientific and technical resources to perform the work.
• Plant the provided seed which includes fertilizing of each plot as needed.

• Sow, manage including but not limited to application of weed, bird and insect control and identifying plots with stakes or loop labels throughout the growing season. On a case by case basis, the contractor shall provide and apply fungicides,
• Provide AAFC staff round-the-clock, 7-day access to the nursery site if requested.
• Evaluate the plots as when required. Evaluation will include observations regarding heading date, maturity, height and lodging.
• Harvest plots in a timely manner when crop is ripe using well maintained harvest equipment taking care to minimize harvest losses and/or mistakes, and as weather at harvest permits. 
• Weigh and record plot yields.
• Retain all harvested/collected grain until the end of February and forward the seed to the Brandon Research Centre (BRC)
• Provide AAFC-BRC with a report on activities by November 30 of each crop year. 

CRITERIA FOR ASSESSMENT OF THE STATEMENT OF CAPABILITIES :

Any interested supplier must demonstrate by way of a statement of capabilities that it meets the following requirements:

• Located in the Parkland agro-climate zone of the Swan River growing area of Manitoba
• Has the required equipment, land, scientific expertise for error free seeding (depth, soil moisture, seed counts, planting density), plot maintenance to minimize weed competition, collect agronomic data (height, maturity, lodging, yield), and harvest the plots at physiological maturity.
• Has trained field technicians to operate the small plot machines safely and accurately as well as collect error free agronomic data

CONTRACT PERIOD: April 1, 2022 to March 31, 2023 with 4 x 1 year options to extend

ESTIMATED VALUE: $249,375.00 CAD (including GST)

PRE-IDENTIFIED SUPPLIER:

New Era Ag Research

Box 56

Swan River MB

R0L 1Z0

SOLE SOURCE JUSTIFICATION:

AAFC requires early maturing spring wheat cultivar lines and early maturing oat cultivar lines grown and evaluated in the parkland region of Manitoba. Contracting with New Era Ag Research in Swan River allows for effective selection of germplasm suited to the parkland region. The New Era Ag Research is the only supplier in the immediate area that can provide the test locations, the small plot research equipment, as well as the scientific and technical expertise to perform the work according to AAFC work plan and protocol. A detailed google search and information from local farmers/seed growers determined that New Era Ag Research is the only vendor which can perform these services and abide by AAFC’s strict intellectual property protection regulations.

SUBMISSION OF STATEMENT OF CAPABILITIES CLOSING DATE AND TIME:

The closing date and time for accepting Statement of Capabilities is December 15, 2021at 2:00 pm CST.

Suppliers who consider themselves fully qualified and available to provide the goods, services or construction services described in the ACAN, may submit a statement of capabilities in writing to the contact person identified in this notice on or before the closing date of this notice. The statement of capabilities must clearly demonstrate how the supplier meets the advertised requirements.

ACAN NOTICE:

You are hereby notified that the government intends to negotiate with one firm only as identified above. Should you have any questions concerning this requirement, contact the Contracting Authority.

An Advance Contract Award Notice (ACAN) allows departments and agencies to post a notice, for no less than 15 calendar days, indicating to the supplier community that it intends to award a good, service or construction contract to a pre-identified contractor. If no other supplier submits, on or before the closing date, a Statement of Capabilities that meets the requirements set out in the ACAN, the Contracting Authority may then proceed with the award. However, should a Statement of Capabilities be found to meet the requirements set out in the ACAN, then the Contracting Authority will proceed to a full tendering process.

Suppliers who consider themselves fully qualified and available to provide the services/goods described herein, may submit a statement of capabilities in writing, either via letter, facsimile or Email to the contact person identified in this Notice on or before the closing date of this notice. The statement of capabilities must clearly demonstrate how the supplier meets the advertised requirements.

The Solicitation Number, Name of Contracting Authority and closing date of the ACAN must appear within your Statement of Capabilities in block letters.

The Crown retains the right to negotiate with suppliers on any procurement.